Althea Scabior
Althea Scabior (nee Schirmer) is a former Charms Professor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, and former Department Head of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes at the British Ministry of Magic. During the 2079/2080 school year she successfully campaigned for a position on the Hogwarts Board of Governors, leading every poll throughout the election process. She continues to serve on the Hogwarts Board of Governors, and currently helps her husband run Obscurus Books in Diagon Alley when she is not busy with Governor business or Charity events. She has two children, her adopted son Kyroh Scabior (Born November 14th 2071 to Everett Scabior and Gloria Kerr), and her daughter Jade Scabior, (Born July 23rd 2085, with Althea's sister Ellie May Summers acting as surrogate). Work History Current Occupation: CO-owner and Contracts & Publicity Director, Obscurus Books (2081- Present) Hogwarts Governor (October 2080- Present) Experimental Charms Committee Consultant (September 2075 - Present) Executive benefactor for The Fawley-Schirmer Foundation (March 2075- Present) Former Occupation(s): Department Head of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, British Ministry of Magic (October 2077- January 2081) Hogwarts Charms Professor (Sept 2075-June 2077) University Lecturer & Researcher (Feb 2070-March 2075) Charms Professor at Australian Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Feb 2068- Feb 2070) Metal Charmer, British Ministry of Magic (Nov 2065- Feb 2068) Experimental Charms Researcher, British Ministry of Magic (Dec 2063- Nov 2065) Wizarding University Student (Sept 2060 - July 2064) Personality Althea is what could be called a 'strong' personality, though usually people choose less savoury words to describe her. She's the kind of woman who, thanks to her choice of career, has often had to go toe to toe with men and she has never had any problem with this and certainly does not see her gender as a weakness. She loathes anyone who assumes that she got where she is today based on her looks and not on her achievements - of which she has quite the list, since she is a bit of a workaholic and always has been focused on being the best she can be and then some. Associated with this strong work ethic, Althea dislikes the sort of people who are famous for nothing and tend to rest on their laurels. She loathes stupidity and tends to surround herself with the kind of people who have something to offer her. She takes pride in her work and her successes, She also prides herself on her appearance and believes that how you present yourself is an important factor not just in how others will judge you, but also in how you see yourself. She enjoys nice clothing, both magical and muggle, and tends toward a classy and professional look, except when she is relaxing at home. She's a fan of Quidditch, having played casually in her school days, but doesn't follow it religiously. She'd much rather go out dancing, and tries to drag her partner along as often as she can convince him to do so. Some of her quirks include peeling the skins off fruit and vegetables, a dislike of Pumpkin Juice, a preference for Elderflower Wine, the habit of eating healthy and reading regularly and voraciously (so it probably is no surprise that she's dating an author), and she's judicious with money. Some of her bad habits include staying up too late, punishing the messenger, having a difficulty in tolerating the weaknesses in others, reserved and cold or direct and pointed towards new people (frosty is a common descriptor, so is ice queen, and other not so nice things), she can be impulsive and intensely single-minded when she wants something. Althea has rather extreme mood swings at times and can fluctuate from ice queen to temperamental harpy. She has, in the past, had difficulties in relationships and can be rather territorial about almost anything that she considers to be HERS. These characteristics are contrasted by the kind of strengths that you'll find only if you're willing to look below that defensive and frosty exterior. She is competitive but knows when to quit, Althea possesses a sharp sense of humour, is wickedly intelligent, and is good at explaining difficult concepts clearly. Stepping away from the analytical side and delving even deeper, one might find she's actually quite empathetic and warm hearted, and dedicated to family. History Theafirstie.png|First Year Althearavenclaw.jpg|Third Year Althea7th.png|Fourth Year Thea6th.png|Fifth Year theayoung.png|Seventh Year The second eldest of four daughters, Althea grew up in Ipswich, Suffolk. Both of her parents are magical, though her father (and his brother, who is also magical) is muggleborn and ensured his daughters were brought up with one foot in each world too. She attended a muggle primary school and at age eleven got her Hogwarts letter and was sorted as a Ravenclaw, though it was a near thing as she was a hatstall and the hat was torn between Ravenclaw and Slytherin. She achieved 10 OWLs and 9 NEWTs, was a reserve for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team from third year through seventh, and student leader of the Charms Club for 5th through 7th year. Upon graduating Hogwarts she did a six-month foundation course at The Egyptian Centre for Alchemical Studies. Following this,she moved to Australia and enrolled in Wizarding University, based at the satellite campus in Darwin, where she stayed for four years, returning to the Alchemical Studies centre for summer school several times. During this time she met a magical tattooist whom she dated on and off until 2068. She graduated with a Degree in Magical Metallurgy and Advanced Experimental Charms in 2064. Althea returned to England and began work as an Experimental Charms Researcher, beginning just before she graduated until the end of 2065. Still at the British Ministry, Althea worked as a Metal Charmer from November 2065 until Febuary 2068 at which point she returned to Australia, taking a job as a Charms Professor for young Witches and Wizards. In 2070 Althea had the opportunity to gain employment at the Wizarding University of Darwin, where she was able to teach at an advanced level and continue her own research. She remained at the Darwin Campus until 2075, where upon she returned to Britain and her family due to personal circumstances. Her family wanted her to come home because her grandmother had recently passed away and her youngest sister was due to be married. Her parents had decided to settle and retire in Tinworth rather than move into her grandmother's house, and because all her sisters are married and live with their families, Althea was the one to inherit her grandmother's house in the South of France. The house has direct floos right to her parents and siblings. Upon returning to Britain, she was employed as Charms Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from Sept 2075-June 2077. During her time teaching at Hogwarts, Althea was known by the students to be a strict but fair professor, and managed to gain much respect from the student body who appreciated her consistent approach and expertise within her field. Despite enjoying teaching, and even finding herself with a few favourite students, Althea was always one to take opportunities as they came along and after a private dinner at the home of Minister Alexander Greingoth she was hired for the position of Department Head of Accidents and Catastrophes, returning to the British Ministry in October 2077. Althea successfully ran for the Hogwarts Board of Governors during the 2079/2080 school year and remained on the top of the popular opinion polls throughout the election. She and her partner Everett Scabior bought a house and moved in together during the summer of 2080, where they live with his son Kyroh. She resigned from the position of Department Head in January 2081. She currently spends her time working with Scabior, fulfilling her position as a Hogwarts Governor, and running the charity, as well as spending as much personal time as possible with her loved ones. Family Everett Scabior Althea has known Everett Dashiell Scabior since her Hogwarts days, having met him when she was twelve years old, a second year to his first year.He did not come to her notice until they were older however, when he quickly established himself as annoyingly smug and douchey, and he harassed her whenever they came in contact. Many years later they found themselves working at Hogwarts together as professors, and Althea found his douchey nature had not changed, if anything it had gotten worse, while she in turn had become more icy and sharp. Due to some unique circumstances, a year after becoming colleagues, Althea and Dash began a secret casual relationship, the arrangement proposed by Althea herself, mostly because as she finds him intensely irritating, she believed she had no chance of falling for him and therefore pesky emotions would not get in the way of seeing her needs fulfilled and she could still date other more suitable men to fill her other requirements. However, over the course of their arrangement it became clear that the pair of them had more in common than they ever thought, and they softened each other's sharper edges and complimented each other's strengths. Althea gradually grew more fond of him, a great deal of which was due to his son Kyroh and the man's love for the boy. Dash being a good father did much to win her sensibilities over. After drunkenly and unintentionally getting matching enchanted tattoos (hers is a lock and his is a key) things began to change between them, culminating in a Christmas argument and an entire month of not speaking, by which time Althea had begun working as the Department Head of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes at the British Ministry. Dash came to visit her and they not only settled their differences, but began an official relationship, exclusively dating though at that point it was still kept between the pair of them aside from Althea makiing it clear to the other men in her life that she was no longer available. Eventually the pair admitted their love for one another, bought a house together, and after several years of ups and downs, married. They currently run Obscurus Books together, and are working toward having a child using a surrogate. Kyroh Scabior Althea has known Kyroh since he was five years old and indeed he was the first Scabior to win her affections. She was friends with Kyroh well before her relationship with his father actually began, having once 'rescued' a lost Kyroh in Diagon Alley, buying him ice cream before figuring out who he belonged to (and being surprised by it). Kyroh has recently started at Hogwarts and was sorted Ravenclaw, like Althea. She is smug about this, nurture clearly being as important as nature. He has in recent years taken to calling her 'mum', and Althea officially adopted him, Christmas 2083. Althea's Parents Walter Basil Schirmer and Ariane Louise Schirmer (nee Winickus) are loving parents, even if they have always been baffled by their second child and her often prickly nature. Althea gets along much better with her father than with her mother, as her father is more than willing to just sit in silence and tends not to harass her about the things that her mother always liked to go on about. Her mother spent many years pushing Althea to change her priorities, wanting to see her married off and with children. Now that Althea is married and has Dash and Kyroh in her life, it infuriates her when her mother acts smug about it as if it was her idea all along. Althea's Sisters Althea Scabior has never been the type of person to have an excess of close friends, and she is admittedly not the easiest person to get along with on a deeper level for most people. Of her own sisters, she best gets along with the eldest, Olivia Ingrid Killick (b. 16 Feb 2040), who has always had far more patience with her. After Althea there is Natasha Rosemary Van Hutton (b. 20 Sept 2045), who Althea has never seen eye to eye with. The pair of them clash on every little thing. The youngest is Ellie-May Marie Summers (b. 3 Dec 2054), and while they get along fine, due to their age difference and Althea's tendency to be standoffish, they were never been exceedingly close. However, in 2084 when Althea and Dash decided they wanted a child and would need a surrogate, Ellie May volunteered and as of Summer 2084 she is not yet pregnant. Other Family She has better luck with her cousins than her sisters, and has always got along well with Abilene Iris Schirmer (b. 7 Dec 2041) from her father's side and Tamara Scamander (b. -- --- ----) from her mother's side, though the degree of closeness with these cousins has varied over the years. Both women worked with Althea at the British Ministry of Magic, with Tamara as a Minister's Advisor, and Abi the Department Head of the Special Areas. Abilene's brother Aston Schirmer has never really been someone who Althea approves of. The man works as a dragonhealer at a reserve somewhere in Romania and tends to prefer the company of the beasts over people. He has a good heart, but Althea doesn't approve of his tendency to be late to everything, or his habit of missing family events. Abi also has a daughter, Rebecca Kirkland . Althea's first cousin once removed. She's a sweet girl and Thea doesn't mind taking care of her. For a time Abi and Rebecca lived with Althea in the Schirmer home in the South of France, at least until Althea moved out with her partner. Tamara also has children of whom Althea is very fond. Lucian , Deidra , and Dale Scamander (children of Tamara and her husband Jonah ). All three are grown now, with Dale newly graduated from Beauxbatons. Given Althea can't have children of her own, she has always played an active role in the lives of the children within her family. She is always willing to play babysitter to Joel and Maxwell Van Hutton (Natasha's children), Laura Killick (Olivia's daughter, who is also the niece of Rustin Killick , obliviator), and Jessamine Summers (Ellie-May's daughter who is also the niece of Brody Summers, former Hufflepuff, and Ashby Summers, Mysteries Department Head) Friends & Relationships Isobel Ferguson Perhaps the longest standing friendship Althea has ever had has been with Isobel Ferguson. The pair were in Ravenclaw and graduated together, and Isobel tends to ignore the not so fine points of Althea's personality, shrugging them off or rolling her eyes when Althea is more on the abrasive or icy side. Their friendship has progressed through since they were eleven years old, and while sometimes it appears to take a backseat, particularly when Althea is in a snit about something or other, they always seem to find each other again, perhaps more out of habit than true affection for one another. The latest incident keeping the pair of them apart was Isobel's pregnancy and the subsequent birth of her twins. Knowing Althea's own situation and inability to have children, Isobel put off telling her about it until she was a little over five months along. Her method of telling Thea was insensitive and sudden, and while Althea had actually been aware of it for some time, what upset her the most was not her friend's pregnancy or any associated jealousy, it was simply that she'd avoided telling her, and afterward made absolutely no attempt to apologise or smooth things over. Althea for her part sent a gift basket, upon the birth of the twins, but refused to make any additional overtures as she had grown to see their relationship as very onesided. However, as Isobel's children grew older, she and Althea mended their differences once more and are again firm friends. With Isobel moving overseas, the two have resolved to remain in touch and floo regularly. Oliver Jenkins Althea and Oliver attended Hogwarts together in their youth, though she is several years older than him. He had quite the crush on her in their younger years, which resurfaced when they found themselves working together at Hogwarts. They have dated, holidayed together, and in the long term became good friends. Their not-date was interrupted by an owl carrying an anonymous love letter for Thea, something she can laugh about now but was irate about at the time. Althea is very fond of him, despite her now-husband's disapproval. William Williamson William Walter Williamson, or Dub as Althea affectionately calls him, has been a friend of Althea's since they were young, having attended Hogwarts together for a few years. Her husband doesn't understand why the pair of them are friends, but Althea has always found WWW to be a good person and a worthwhile friend even if he at times can be somewhat exasperating. Weddell Bott The heir to Botts Beans is a close friend of Althea's and the pair of them spend much of their early acquaintance in a state of 'almost', since both were always very attracted to one another and have particularly different but complimentary personalities. However, it was never to be and they instead developed a close friendship. Dell comes to Althea for advice quite regularly, they often do business together, and she hired him as her personally selected campaign advisor during her run for the Board of Governors, prefering not to trust in the ineffectual support provided to her by official sources. Dash spent quite some time being jealous of Althea's relationship with Dell, though her marrying Dash has gone some way towards mollifying him. Dell, for his part, tolerates Dash, but thinks that the man is below Althea and that she can do better... namely with someone like himself. Leon Odessa Edvard Roslund Shawnessy Breckinridge Daniel Insertsurnamehere While working as a Charms professor at a Wizarding School in Australia, she met and fell in love with a talented Wizarding Researcher, who's connections meant that she had an opportunity to gain employment at the Wizarding University of Darwin. They got engaged and decided to begin trying for a child. Unfortunately Althea found it difficult and did not get pregnant. As a result of this they broke up and she her ex-fiancé was with someone else only a few weeks later. Wtih some difficulty, Althea remained in Australia for a year, but moved back to England at the request of her family, pleased to go and not be faced with guilt or heartbreak anymore. Category:Class of 2060 Category:Ravenclaw Category:Hatstall Category:Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes Category:Professors Category:Alumni Category:Alchemy Category:Charms Category:Half-Blood Category: Department Head Category:Ministry of Magic Category:Characters Category:Staff Category:Yearbook Category:Board of Governors Category:Seminar Instructor